CHAPTER XXI.
THE HOMELESS SAVIOUR—THE STORM—DEMONIAC.
AND it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And the same day, when the even was come, when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him,
The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him,
Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
And when they had sent away the multitude, and when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And he said unto them,
Let us go over unto the other side of the lake.
And there were also with him other little ships. And they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell asleep: and, behold, there came down a great storm of wind, on the lake: and the waves beat into the ship, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: Master, master, carest thou not that we perish? And he saith unto them,
Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
Then he arose and rebuked the winds, and the raging of the water: and said unto the sea,
Peace, be still.
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them,
Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
But the men marvelled, and they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this? for he commandeth even the winds
and water, and they obey him. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs; exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way: and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and fell down before him, and worshipped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him,
Come out of the man thou unclean spirit.
(For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying,
What is thy name?
And he said Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
And there was a good way off from them, nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country: and told everything, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
And, behold, the whole city came out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed; and also concerning the swine. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about, besought him that he would depart out of their coast: for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
And when he was come into the ship, the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him,
Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath
[109]done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
And he departed and began to publish throughout the whole city (in Decapolis) how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned again by ship unto the other side, much people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him. And he was nigh unto the sea.